A/N: Thank you for the review. I appreciate it. These next couple of chapter will be much shorter than previous ones, but that might mean I will be able to get them to you guys quicker. I can't promise, but I'll defiantly try.

Chapter Eight: District One

Peeta POV

The Transformation was amazing. If I hadn't known better I would have thought Katniss was Effie. We board a train later that morning heading for District One. Once we are on our way, I ask Cinna to disguise me. The last thing I wanted was for someone from one to recognize me. He agrees and by the time he's done my hair and eyes are a chocolate brown. With the addition of a mustache, beard, and dark sunglasses, I don't even recognize myself.

Cinna tells me the hair color would have to grow out which is not a problem. I actually like the color on me. The color contacts on the other hand I will be glad to get rid of. The feeling of something in my eyes is very annoying. Cinna shows me and Katniss our Mockingjay suits. My suit reminds me a lot of the black suit I wore during the first games. Katniss's suit looks like mine except for the added effect of the Mockingjay wings.

We reach District One and we exit the train wearing regular clothes over the suits. Haymitch decides to stay in town while Katniss and I begin our search. Cinna remained on the train, but he did tell us the suits contained weapons. Apparently, he had also been working with Beetee to come up with a retractable bow and a sheath of arrows for Katniss. For me, the only weapon I was really good with was spears and knives. And no matter how crazy Clove had been I had to admit I did learn by watching her.

We enter the forest and Katniss immediately glances down at my feet. I get the message loud and clear. I nod my head assuring her not to worry about me. I would be quiet. The military training we got in thirteen showed me just how loud my steps really were. We shed our disguises and head in the direction of the mountains.

We move quietly through the brush and it's not long before I'm rewarded with a warm smile from Katniss. I return the smile as we keep going. I take the lead moving deeper into the forest and reaching the gate in one's fence. When I was here last time the search parties refused to go past the fence. I didn't push them then because they were helping me look for my children. Now I know if I had pushed I would have found Josh and Miranda.

It takes about an hour of walking before we smell the smoke of a burning fire. We crest a hill seeing a small log cabin nestled between trees and a mountain. We duck down allowing the hill to shield us from view. The trees would give us cover and allow us to get closer to the cabin. The problem would be getting inside without getting ourselves or the kids killed.

"Peeta, I have to get in that cabin," Katniss said.

"I know, but we can't just barge in there."

"I don't think I can wait," she replied.

"Wait," I say peeking over the hill. I watch Jackson walk out of the cabin with a woman. I knew the moment I saw her I recognized her. She looked too much like Thatcher not to be his sister. "Jackson is leaving so we'll have the advantage," I whisper ducking back down. "He's heading this way, so we'll have to move."

Katniss nodded her head, and we quickly move to a different spot out of sight. "How long do you think it'll take?"

"Not long," I whisper watching Jackson pass by us unnoticed.

"How does that man become Gale's second in command?"

"I don't know, and I really don't care right now. We can worry about that after we get the kids."

She nods her head and presses a button on the arm of her suit. A second later the special bow Beetee created for her is in her hands. We head down the hill at a fast clip. Before either of us can second guess ourselves, I kick in the door of the cabin. The woman I saw screams before her eyes go wide in recognition. Katniss is all ready pointing a loaded arrow at her, so I decide to ask the questions.

"Where are they?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the woman said quickly.

"You're lying," Katniss spat. "Where are Josh and Miranda?"

"I told you I don't know what you're talking about," she repeated recovering from her shock.

"You have two choices. You can either tell us where our children are, or I will gladly tear this place apart," I growl feeling my anger rise.

"How can I tell you something I don't know?" Thatcher's sister asked just before a baby began to cry.

"Miranda," Katniss said narrowing her eyes at the woman in front of us.

"That's my daughter," she said quickly as I move toward the back of the cabin.

"I don't think so," I say carrying my blond haired, blue eyed little girl. "There's no one in your family with blond hair and blue eyes. Where is our son?" I demand.

"Where you will never find him," she spat dropping the act and narrowing her eyes at us.

"We'll see about that," Katniss said as we backed out of the cabin.

Once we are clear of the cabin, I hand Miranda over to Katniss's waiting arms. I quickly unlock my hidden compartment of knives now that Katniss's hands are full with a happy baby. The thought of having to use the knives bothers me, but the alternative is worse. My family comes first, and I would always use deadly force to keep them safe. I just hope it doesn't come to that. As we approach the fence, I see a squadron of Peacekeepers and Jackson standing in front of them.

"Damn, they are waiting for us," I say as we kneel down in the trees.

"And you know it won't be long before Thatcher sends hover crafts looking for us," Katniss said hugging Miranda close to her chest.

"I know," I say brandishing my knives. "Stay here and let me try to talk reason with Jackson."

"No, Peeta, Jackson never liked us. There are too many of them."

"Kat that was the future. This Jackson doesn't know us. I'll be careful. I promise," I say kissing both Katniss and Miranda before I move to a different section of trees.

I slowly rise to my feet keeping my hands in view of the Peacekeepers. I approach the fence and the scowl on Jackson's face only deepens. Crap, this might be a mistake. I step through the gate and am quickly grabbed by several of the Peacekeepers. Great, this isn't good I think as Jackson walks up to me.

"Where is my daughter?" Jackson growled.

"Your daughter?" I ask in complete shock. What kind of brainwashing did Thatcher's sister do to this poor man? "She looks nothing like you or your wife, but she does look like me," I say staring Jackson in the face.

"You are nothing more than a kidnapper who got caught. Now where is my daughter?"

"Have your friends here let me go, and I'll tell you exactly who I am."

Jackson quickly nodded his head and I suddenly feel the blood rushing back into my hands. Clearly, he felt I was completely surrounded and wasn't going anywhere. I flex my fingers before moving to stand in front of a shop window. The crunching boots behind me alert me my entourage isn't letting me wander too far away. I smile slightly as I concentrate on removing the color contacts from my eyes. Maybe if I kept Jackson and his friends busy long enough, then Katniss might have the chance to sneak through the gate unnoticed with Miranda.

When I turn around, Jackson's eyes narrow as he studies my face. It only takes a few seconds before he shakes his head. "You're Peeta Mellark. I didn't recognize you with the brown eyes and hair. Why did you take my daughter from my house?"

"Your daughter? That little girl isn't your daughter. She's mine."

"No, you're wrong. I watched my wife's belly grow. I would have been there for the birth, but I got called away for a training mission. When I got back home there she was with our precious baby girl."

I shake my head not believing what I'm hearing. "Look, I don't know why your wife tricked you, but when you saw the baby didn't her size bother you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"How long were you gone on that training mission?"

"I was gone a week. What are you getting at, Mellark?"

"What I'm talking about is that baby your wife said was yours wasn't a new born when you saw her. She was all ready three months old. Didn't you think it was funny that she was much bigger than she should have been?"

"Are you calling my wife a liar?" Jackson demanded grabbing the front of my black suit.

"No, I'm not calling anyone a liar, but Miranda is five months old."

"Hope is only two months old, Mellark," Jackson growled.

I pull away from the deranged man and run my fingers through my hair. "Then I'll prove it to you the only way that I can. We'll do a DNA test. If the little girl I have is Hope, I'll give her back to you. But if she's Miranda like I know she is, I'm pressing charges of aiding in the kidnapping and holding of my daughter and son."

"Be prepared to enjoy your jail cell Mellark, because that's where you'll be spending the rest of your life once I get my Hope back," Jackson snapped. "Thompson, Rogers, I want you two to stick to this man like glue. He's not to leave the district with Hope. Is that understood?"

I watch the two men nod their heads and I realize just how outnumbered Katniss and I really are. What we needed was neutral ground. We wouldn't get a fair DNA test here in District One. "I'm calling in a man outside of District One to perform the test, Jackson."

"Fine, but I'm having a tester of my own present as well. I want you to bring Hope to the Justice building, Mellark. She's staying there with my wife until this is over."

"I will not agree to that unless my wife is there too."

"Your wife...your wife is condemned to remain in District Twelve," Jackson said.

"That was until I found out my daughter was being kept here," Katniss said walking slowly around the buildings and out into the square.

I could clearly see Miranda clinging to Katniss until she saw me. Her little lip trembled and she stretched out her small arms as Katniss approached me. The sight broke my heart and like any father would I took her in my arms and kissed her forehead. I brushed away her tears and spoke softly to her. I didn't have to look at Jackson to know he was getting angrier by the minute. I could feel it rolling off of him in waves.

"Because your wife has sources to steal my daughter away again, I will not allow Miranda to stay in the Justice building without me present. That is the only option I'm giving you, Mr. Jackson. Take it or I'm leaving with my daughter," Katniss stated firmly.

"You'll never make it out of the district," Jackson returned smugly.

"Think again, son," Haymitch said from behind us.

I turn around smiling at my Mentor who it seemed had gathered a small army of citizens. Most of the people I recognized as the volunteers who had searched the district with me for Miranda and Josh. The citizens present clearly outnumbered the Peacekeepers by a good two to one. It would be very easy to board a train and leave this district behind with Miranda, but I knew it wasn't right. No matter how much I talked it wouldn't be enough to convince Jackson to see the truth. He would have to see it for himself before he would ever let us go without seeking retribution.

"Haymitch, I need you to call Beetee and ask him to come here with the best genetics tester he knows."

Haymitch nods his head then turns on his heel and walks away leaving the citizens behind to guard me, Katniss, and Miranda. It takes a few hours, but Beetee finally arrives in the district and meets us all at the Justice building. Jackson had finally agreed to allow Katniss to stay with Miranda while we all waited, but he really didn't have much of a choice. Both tests are started immediately and I nod my head at Katniss who is nervously watching Miranda with Thatcher's sister.

"Peeta, where is Josh?" Katniss asked quietly as we waited for the results of the DNA test.

I shake my head, and then sigh softly. I had no idea where Josh was at that very moment. The logical thought was that Thatcher had Josh with him somewhere in the Capitol. It would have to be somewhere close to him since in the future Josh is raised to think he's Thatcher's son after Katniss and I abandon him. But where in the Capitol could Thatcher hid a five month old baby boy?

"The only place I can think of is the Capitol," I whisper as the door opens to the testing room. Haymitch, Beetee, and both testers walk out of the room holding the results of the tests.

"Robert, tell me I can go home with my daughter," Jackson said rubbing Miranda's back which caused me to clench my jaw to keep from jumping to my feet.

"I wish I could, but this little girl isn't yours," Robert said somberly.

"What!"

"There is no doubt this little girl is their daughter. Both tests confirmed it. I retested it three times. This is Miranda Mellark."

"No, that isn't possible," Jackson said as Haymitch approached Thatcher's sister.

"I'll take the baby, Mrs. Jackson," he said easily lifting Miranda from her loose grip.

Haymitch took a step backwards and to the left as everything slowed to a crawl for me. I watched the expression on Thatcher's sister's face turn from fake shock to pure rage. She wasn't about to allow Miranda to return to us without a fight. As Prim had said this woman wanted revenge for the death of her mother. In the blink of an eye, she had a gun in her hand and a knife sticking out of her chest. I never second guessed myself as I unlocked my knives, rose to my feet, and threw one with deadly accuracy.

"Peeta...," Katniss said looking up at me.

I glance at Jackson who is being held back by Thompson and Rogers. The man wanted to rip me apart, and I couldn't blame him. I just killed his wife in order to save my daughter's life. "I was trying to avoid blood shed, Jackson. I'm sorry it came to this," I say as Katniss rose to her feet and wrapped her arms tightly around me. "Haymitch, take Miranda home and don't let her out of your sight for one minute," I say watching Jackson being dragged out of the room. "You and I are going to the Capitol to get our son back," I say to Katniss clenching my jaw in determination. If Thatcher wanted blood shed and a fight, then that's exactly what he'll get.